Shaquaria 2010

The 5th Shanghai International Ornamental Fish and Fishing Exhibition was held again at Shanghai Agricultural Exhibition Hall on the extended 7600 sqm beautiful central Shanghai location during the Shanghai EXPO 2010. After more than 20 years of growth, the ornamental fish industry has been gradually developed into a burgeoning industry in China. According to the statistics of relevant departments, millions of people employed in this industry are annually bringing about 50 billions of industrial value in China, with an annual increment of more than 15%. The ornamental fish industry has created great fortunes for China and is one of the largest expanding industries in China and possibly now the number one in the world of ornamental fishes. Aquapress Publishers and Heiko Bleher participated again, like during the last two, in 2009 and 2008.

The 2010 Shanghai International Ornamental Fish and Fishing Exhibition will took place for the 5th time on 15-17 October, 2010, after amazing success in 2009 and 2008, and this year in an even bigger beautiful central located hall during the last days of the SHANGHAI EXPO 2010. After more than 20 years of growth, the ornamental fish industry has been gradually developed into a burgeoning industry in China. According to the statistics of relevant departments, millions of people employed in this industry are annually bringing about 50 billions of industrial value in China, with an annual increment of more than 15%. The ornamental fish industry has created great fortunes for China, especially promoted the development of pet fish culture, and greatly prompted urban and rural employments. Ornamental fish is one of the most popular pets in the world. With the improvement of standard living, people recently pursue hobbies for health and leisure. Thus, ornamental fish, fish tank and fishing turn into a new fashion for Chinese consumers. Meanwhile, this industry has become a new growth point of fisheries. And the rise of ornamental fish industry has stimulated the accessories such as fishing tools, feed, drugs and equipments. This unique annual event in China was hosted by Fisheries Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, the Shanghai Fisheries Trade Association, and organized by Shanghai International Agricultural Exhibition Center, the Shanghai Ocean University and the Shanghai NIU International Exhibition Co. Ltd., as well as supported by the China Fisheries Association . Aquapress and Heiko Bleher has participated for the third time. See below some photos of this unique event …

The opening ceremony was amazing, Heiko Bleher hat the number 3 position at the stand next to the Minister of Fisheries and the Secretary General. Cüneyt Birol, who was invited as well, was next, number4, and after the Minister had his inaugural speech and the music band played beautiful girls dressed in red came with the ribbon to be cut by Heiko and Cüneyt to officially open the 5th Shanghai International Ornamental Fish and Fishing Exhibition.

The entrance of the beautiful building was very nicely decorated.

Aquapress Publishers had their stand at the Exhibition where Heiko did also decorate three biotope aquariums. The nice girls from the Shanghai Ocean University gave a hand to handle some of the 25,000 visitors during the three days of opening. There were over 150 stands, with Goldfishes, Koi, and very colourful Discus.

There were some very nicely decorated nature aquariums, even a biotope of Tanganyika cichlids and a huge display of Koi, and those were judged in their category of sizes, like 30 cm, 40cm, 70cm and over sizes (some had over 100cm).

There was a special section build for the children, and who wanted could catch its own goldfish or frog …

In the centre was a large display of goldfishes, kept they way goldfish should be kept – to appreciate from the top in jade jars. But naturally some stands wanted to sell and showed them also from the side, like this giant Wanjin Beauty Fish Farm.

There was almost every fish species available in beautiful moulded colours, rare freshwater sting rays (which they bred in the Guangzhou area – mainly black diamonds rays), a display of some of the beautiful Chinese freshwater fishes, little known in the hobby, and these terrible Parrot Cichlids, mutants which now can be injected with the name of the person who buys them …

We were driven in amazing vehicles around this 30 million people metropolis where across the city are highways planted left and right for hundreds of kilometres (probably no city in the world hast so many green plants and trees). We were invited to give seminars at the Shanghai Ocean University and Cüneyt talked about my two-day-seminars in 20009 (!) in Istanbul last year. And about 50 students came to the seminars coordinated by Professor Gao Jianzhong. See you all next year – and no one should miss this world-wide unique event.